Door operating and locking device



Oct. 7, 1947. H. KUMP DOOR OPERATING AND LOCKING DEVICE F iled Nov. 20,1943 VENTOR '4 TORI;IEY

Jill-ilk" Patented Oct. 7, 1947 DOOR OPERATING AND LOCKING DEVICE HenryKump, Berwick, P3,}, assignor to American Car and Foundry Company, NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 20, 1943,Serial No. 511,075

This invention relates to door operating and locking devices and inparticular to such devices when applied to railway box car doors.

Most car doors are now equipped with separate mechanisms for operatingand locking the doors, although certain doors are equipped with combinedlocking and starting devices. However, most of the combined devices arecumbersome, expensive and frequently not positive in their lockingaction. All car doors are subjected to considerable shock and vibrationduring travel of the car and a lock to be satisfactory should beself-tighteningso that any slack may be automatically taken up by thedevice. It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to providea combined door operating and locking device in which the parts are soarranged as to automatically take up any slack between the door and thedoor jamb;

A further object of the invention is the provision of a door lockingdevice which may also be operated to exert a powerful leverage forforcing the door open orpulling the door closed.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a dooroperating and locking device which may be used to give the door a rapidopening impulse and be automatically disengaged from the keeper topermit the door to continue its opening movement.

A yet further object of the invention is the provision of a dooroperating and locking device in which the parts are so mounted andcontrolled as to normally remain clear of the opening between the dooredge and door jamb, yet which may be projected into theopening forlooking or operating purposes.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to personsskilled in the art from a study of the following description andaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of theimproved operating and locking device and showing the locking-cam orWedge-1ock in engaged and disengaged positions;

Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtaken through the door and showing the lockingdevice in end elevation; V I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the door and jamb showing the lockingdevice in plan;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line l4 of Fi Fig. 5is a sectional view taken through the device and showing the device intwo positions of operation;

Fig. 6 is a View similar-to Fig. 5 but showing 9 Claims. (Cl. 292-113) 2the locking device in its normal condition when unlocked with all partscarried clear of the opening, and

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing in full line the partswhen in the position shown by lineand dash in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the dooroperating and locking device is formed of four parts, namely, a handleoperator or lever A, a hook or latch B, a wedgelock or locking-cam C,and a keeper or lug D. As clearly shown in the figures, the operatingand locking device has been applied to a car door formed of a main sheet2 corrugated along its front edge as at 4 and having the corrugationcapped and reinforced by a metal strip 6, flanged as at 8 to provide thenose or leading edge of the door. This nose or leading edge of the dooris adapted to engage within a roughly channelshaped recess Ii) formed aspart of the door post or jamb 12. In order to brace the Ushaped por tionof the door post a casting or forging H5 is secured by rivets l6 to thecar side wall It and post l8 and also to the door jamio member by rivets26. The bracing casting or forging is formed adjacent its outer edgewith a shank portion 22 terminating in a head portion 2-3, thusproviding the locking lug or keeper D previously referred to.

In order to provide a mount for the movable parts of the locking devicea base casting or forging 25 is provided which straddles the verticalcorrugation of the door and is secured to the door by suitable securingmeans, such as rivets 26. The base casting or forging is so formed as toprovide a relatively fiat surface 28 interrupted by'two openings, oneadapted to receive a pin 30, and the other a pin 32. The pin 32 forms apivot mount for the operating handle or lever A previously referred to.This operating handle or lever is formed with a hand-grip portion 34adjacent one end and adjacent the other end with a bifurcated portion 36which is perforated to receive a connecting means, such as rivet 38.Pivotaily mounted on the rivet 38 between the bifurcated ends 35 is thehook or latch B previously referred to. The hook or latch is formed froma flat plate and is provided with a curved nose portion 46 locatedoutwardly of a recess 42, which is adapted to engage the keeper D. Theedge of the recess adjacent the nose of the hook or latch is curved soas to closely engage the keeper and'normally prevent lifting of the hookfrom the keeper while the inner edge of the recess ispreferably madestraight as at so as to the nose of the hook or latch may clear the--keeper D.

In order to lock the operator or lever A and I hook or latch B againstrelative'movement-the wedge-lock or locking-cam Cis' provided. Thiswedge-lock or locking-cam is referably formed from a flat piece of metalhaving substantially identical side pieces 60, pierced for pivotal mounton rivet or pin 32 and joined together by connecting part 62. Portionsof the side pieces are curved as at 54 to form cam or wedge surfacesadapted to engage the bifurcated ends 36 of the operating handle orlever. These camming or wedging surfaces are so formed as to tend toincrease the distance between pins 32 and 38 as the wedge-lock orlockingcam C is rotated ina clockwise direction as viewed in thefigures. Under certain conditions it might be possible for the hook orlatch to be lifted fromikeeper D. Accordingly, in order to prevent suchlifting a projection 58 is welded or otherwise secured to the lower edgeof the hook or latch and extends outwardly beneath the wedge-lock orlocking-cam C and in close proximity to a curved projection 10 welded orotherwise secured to the outer side member of the locking cam.Projections 68 and Ill are pierced as at '52 (Figs, 3-and 4) to receivea seal (not shown).

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming the parts in lockedposition as shown by full lines of Fig. 1, it is only necessary for theperson unlocking the door toswing the wedgelock or locking-cam C in acounter-clockwise direction to its pivot 32 to the line and dashposition shown. The person then grasps the operating handle and swingsit in a counterclockwise direction on its pivot 30. This swinging of theoperating handle or lever Amoves rivet or pin 38 and causes the hook orlatch member to the door to open. During the initial opening movement ofthe door the curved surfacebfl of the hook or latch is in engagementwith pin 32 andfis so shaped as to cause thehook or latch to move in asubstantially horizontal direction. As soon, however, asthe door hasmoved sufficiently for. surface 52 to strike pin 32, the hook or latchis abruptly lifted and carried clear of the keeper to the line and dashposition shown in Fig. 5,. also by full lines in Fig. '7. Thus it willbe seen thatthe person grasping operator or lever A can by exertingconsiderable force cause a quickopening of the door with the latch orhook automatically lifting to clear the keeper or lug. In this way theperson may take advantage of the momentum of the door to open it agreater amount than would otherwise be possible with the ordinarylockingor starting device. As soon as theidoor has been openedsufiiciently for the hooker latch to release the keeper, thepersonopening the door may release the lever andthe: parts will immediatelyassume theposition shown the door jamb. The. parts willbe' held in this.4 position due to the weight of the operating handle or lever. As thedoor is moved from an open toward a closed position the person movingthe door may grasp lever A and move it in a counterclockwise directionto the position shown in line and dash in Fig. 5. From this positionclockwise rotation of the lever will cause a lowering of the hook-orlatch until keeper'flisengaged within the recess-42. 'Full clockwiserotation of'the lever will pull the door tight against the door jamb orpost and then clockwise rotation of the wedgelock or locking-cam willbring the door to the same position as shown in full line in Fig. 1. It

is to be noted that the door may be forced fully closed withtheoperating device in the position shown inFigrG without in any wayinjuring the device. It is also possible for the lever to be held in anintermediate position between the'full line and line and dash positionof Fig. 5 during closing of the door. In this case the curved nose ofthe hook or latch will .cause the. same to be lifted so that the keepermay be engaged within the recess 4'2. This raising of the hook. or latchis permitted due to the vertical depth of the opening 38 in the hook orlatch member. -Attention is also directed toithe fact that withthe partsin the locked position shown in Fig.1,- the center of mass of thewedge-lock or locking-cam isto the right of pivot 32, thus constantlytendingYto urge the wedge-lock or locking-cam in a clockwise direction.Also, the centerof mass of the operator or lever Ais to the. right ofits pivot 30,

cally tightens the lock, thus it becomes impossible forv the lock tolooseninservice. This'self-tightening feature will also compensate forconsider-, able wear of the parts during the life of the device andinsure a tightly locked door. a

It will be seen from the precedingdescription" that the bulk of the.parts may. bemade either-by casting or by forging, or the operatingpartsmay be made from fiat plate cutto shape and bent or welded together'toform the complete device. ill:

-will also be seen that various modifications and members including anoperating lever pivotally mounted on one ofsaid parts, a latch memberpivotally mounted on'said lever and adapted-to engage said keepermember, andmeans carried by the last referred to part andengageable.with said latch to controlthe movements thereof, said means havingmounted thereon. a locking cam engageable with. said operatinglever toprevent pivotal movement of said. operating'lever in at least onedirection; V '2. In a door operating and locking. device,.the

combination of operating and locking members and a" keeper membermountedflrespectively on parts havingrelative movement toward and awayfrom each other, said operatin and .Iofcking members including anoperating lever pivotally mounted on one of said parts, a latch memberpivotally mounted on said lever and adapted to engage said keepermember, guiding surfaces formed on said latch member and at leastpartially defining an Opening therein, and a guide pin carried by saidlast referred to part and extending through the latch opening andengageable by said guiding surfaces, said guiding surfaces and guide pincausing said latch to move substantially in a horizontal direction toopen the door and then swing vertically to unlock the door.

3. In a door operating and locking device, the combination of operatingand locking members and a keeper member mounted respectively on partshaving relative movement toward and away from each other, said operatingand locking members including an operating lever' pivotally mounted onone of said parts, a latch member pivotally mounted on said lever andadapted to engage said keeper member, guiding surfaces formed on saidlatch member and at least partially defining an opening therein, a guidemember carried by said last referred to part and extending through thelatch opening and engageable by said guiding surfaces, and a locking campivotally mounted on said guide member and having parts engageable witha portion of said lever and with the latch member to lock the sameagainst movement.

4. In a door operating and locking device, the combination of operatingand locking members and a keeper member mounted respectively on partshaving relative movement toward and away from each other, said operatingand locking members including an operating lever pivotally mounted onone of said parts, a latch member pivotally mounted on said lever andadapted to engage said keeper member, guiding surfaces formed on saidlatch member and at least partially defining an irregular shaped openingtherein, a guide member carried by said last referred to part andextending through the latch opening and engageable by said guidingsurfaces, said irregular shaped opening and guide member being so formedand arranged as to permit lifting of the latch member out of engagementwith the keeper member independently of the operating lever, a lockingcam pivotally mounted on said guide member and engageable with a portionof said lever to lock the same against movement, and means formed onsaid latch member and locking cam and cooperating to prevent lifting ofthe latch member out of its engagement with said keeper when the door islocked.

5. In a door operating and locking device, .the combination of operatingand locking members carried on the door and a keeper member carried onthe door jamb, said operating and locking members including, anoperating lever pivotally mounted on the door, a latch member pivotallymounted on the lever and movable thereby for engagement with saidkeeper, a guide pin carried by the door, and guide surfaces formed onthe latch member and cooperating with said guide pin to control themovements of the latch member, said guide surfaces being so formed andarranged as to cause said latch member to move substantiallyhorizontally outward toward the door jamb and then to move outward andupward during movement of said operating lever toward door unlockingposition.

6. In a door operating and locking device, the combination of operatingand locking members carried on the door and a keeper member carried onthe door jamb, said operating and locking members including, anoperating lever pivotally mounted on the door, a latch member pivotallymounted on the lever and movable thereby for engagement with saidkeeper, a guide pin carried by the door, and guide surfaces formed onthe latch member and cooperating with said guide pin to control themovements of the latch member, and a locking cam pivotally mounted onthe door and movable into engagement with said lever and latch member tolock the same against movement toward a door unlocking position.

7. In a door operating and locking device, the combination of operatingand locking members carried on the door and a keeper member carried onthe door jamb, said operating and locking members including, anoperating lever pivotally mounted on the door, a latch member pivotallymounted on the lever and movable thereby for engagement with saidkeeper, a guide pin carried by the door, and guide surfaces formed onthe latch member and cooperating with said guide pin to control themovements of the latch member, and a locking cam pivotally mounted onthe door and movable into engagement with said lever to lock the sameagainst movement toward a door unlocking position, said locking cam andoperating lever when in door locking position each having its center ofmass so located as to constantly urge the door toward closed position tothereby maintain the members in a tight locked relationship.

8. In a door operating and locking device, the combination with anoperating lever; of a latch member; and a locking cam carried by saiddoor and having a part for locking said lever and also having a part forlocking said latch member when the door is in closed and lockedposition.

9. In a door operating and locking device, the combination with anoperating lever; of a latch member; and a locking cam carried by saiddoor for locking said lever when the door is in closed. and lockedposition, said locking cam and lever having their centers of mass sopositioned as to constantly urge the door toward the closed position tothereby maintain a tight locked relationship of the parts.

HENRY KUMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,573,866 Rogers Feb. 23, 19262,114,755 Wasberg Apr. 19, 1938 2,021,957 Gregg Nov. 26, 1935

